Coin controlled mechanism



April 14,1942. F. c. DU GRENIER 3 2,279,664

. COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed June 9, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 14, 1942. F. c. DU GRENIER COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM s Sheets-Shet 2 Filed June 9, 1939 April 14, 1942. F. c. DU GRENIER COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 J77vei1?0 imam/1 I, I f L Filed June 9, 1939 April 14, 1942. v c. DU GRENIER 2,279,664

COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 94 5a 56 I v Patented Apr. 14, 1942 COIN CONTROLLED MECHANISM Francis 0. Du Grenier, Haverhill, Mass.,

.assignor of one-half to Blanche E. Bouchard, Haverhill, Mass.

Application June 9, 1939, Serial No. 278,278

12 Claims.

This invention relates to coin controlled mechanism for vending machines which are primarily designed to dispense cigarettes in package form, but which may be employed to vend different articles which are sold at different prices.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a coin controlled apparatus which may be employed to vend articles which are sold at four different prices, viz, c, and and which will dispense said articles on the insertion of one, two, three, or four nickels, or on the insertion of a dime, a dime and a nickel, or two dimes, according to the price of the desired article, without any preliminary adjustment of the dispensing apparatus.

Other objects are to provide a simplified form of coin controlled locking mechanism which will enable the agent or owner of the machine readily to vary the adjustment of the controlling mechanism of any, or all of the article holding compartments, so that the articles which are contained in anyparticular compartment or compartments may bedispensed on the insertion of the coin or coins corresponding to the price at which the articles are to be sold. p

Also to provide an apparatus which is durable and unlikely to get out of order even when subjected to the abuse which machines of this character are liable to receive.

I accomplish these objects primarily by providing a coin controlled locking device which is normally effective to prevent operative action of the ejecting device with which each of the article containing compartments is provided, but which,

on being moved to a certain extent, will permit i the ejecting operation to be performed with one of the ejecting devices, and which on being moved to a somewhat greater extent will permit the ejecting operation to be performed with another ejecting device and which on being moved to a third or to a fourth position will permit operation of a third or a fourth ejecting device, it being understood that means are provided which prevent more than one ejector to be operated at the same time. I

In this connection means are further provided which permit independent adjustment of the intercepting means of each compartment, so that the owner of any machine may make adjustment to suit local conditions. That is, so that the machine may be readily adjusted to enable articles to be dispensed at one price from certain compartments and articles to be dispensed from other compartments at another price, and so on,

I when to comply with the demands of the purchasing public.

00111 controlled means are further provided which are so arranged that on the insertion of a nickel an initial movement of' the intercepting means will be permitted, so that the ejector of a certain compartment may be operated, also on the insertion of two nickels or a dime, a further movement of the intercepting means will be permitted, so that the ejector of another compartment may be operated. Also on the insertion of three nickels, or a nickel and a dime a still further movement of the intercepting means will be permitted, so that the ejector of still another compartment may be operated, and on the insertion of four nickels, two nickels and a dime, or two dimes and full movement of the intercepting means will be.permitted, thereby permitting operation of any one of all the ejectors.

For a more complete and detailed disclosure of the invention reference is now made to the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the lower portion of the machine illustrating the ejectors and locking means therefor.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the right hand end of the machine illustrating the coin controlled apparatus which is employed.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view at line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan the machine.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view Fig. 6 is a detail view of abutments.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view at line of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view at line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig; 9 is a sectional view at line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is detail perspective views illustrating the action when a single dime is inserted.

Fig. 11 is a similar view illustrating th action when two dimes are inserted.

Fig. '12 is a sectional view at line 1-1 of Fig. 2 illustrating the action when a single nickel has been inserted.

Fig. 13 is a similar view illustrating the action view of theright hand end of at line 5-5 of Fig. 2. one of the intercepting Fig. 14 is a similar view illustrating the action when three and when four nickels are inserted.

Figs. 15 and 16 a re detail views showing the action of the means for maintaining the coinsupport in normal position.

As indicated in Fig. 1 a casing H has a series of vertically disposed article containing comparttwo nickels have been inserted and ments l5 therein arranged in a straight row, the number of said compartments being immaterial and an ejector I6 is provided at the bottom of each compartment, each ejector having an operating handle l1. To operate, the ejector is pulled from its normal position beneath the stack of packages in the compartment, so that the bottom package falls in front of the ejector and then when the ejector is pushed back into normal position the package will be pushed from beneath the stack and will be delivered onto the shelf |8. A U-shaped shaft I9 is pivotally mounted at its ends in the end walls of the casing and each ejector has a hook 20, shown in dotted outline in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 3, which is constantly engaged with shaft I9, so that when any ejector is operated by pulling it forward, the shaft |9 will be swung forward on its pivots. The construction as thus far described is old in the art.

According to my invention I provide an intercepting device, which comprises a shaft 2| which is rotatably mounted on the frame of the machine directly over the operating handles H of the ejectors and extends for the entire width of the machine, and a series of segmental shaped abutments 22 are mounted on shaft 2|, one in front of each ejector, each abutment having a series of abutting faces 23, which in the various adjusted positions of the abutments will, normally, orwhen no coin has been inserted, be immediately engaged by the outer end of each ejector when it is pulled out by its handle, so as to prevent operative movement ,thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. That is, all the ejectors will be locked against operative movement unless a coin has been inserted, as'hereinafter described. Operative movement thereof will be'permitted if shaft 2| is rotated sufficiently to swing one or more of the abutments above the path of movement of some one of the ejectors. As shown in detail in Fig. 6, each abutment is arranged for adjustment about the shaft 2|, the particular means shown consisting of a bracket 24 which is fixed on shaft 2| at one side of each abutment, a screw 25 being provided in the end of bracket 24, which is arranged to engage any one of a series of holes 26 in the abutment. The arrangement shown permits adjustment of each abutment to four different positions, and it will be apparent that by adjusting the abutments to different positions, some of the ejectors may be operated if the shaft 2| is rotated so that the ends of the abutments are only raised, say ,1 of an inch, while others may be operated when the abutments are raised of an inch, and others may be operated after of an inch movement and still others after a inch movement.

It will be understool that, as is common with machines of this type, means are provided which will prevent operative movement of more than one ejector at any time, but, as such means is well known in the art of dispensing machines, disclosure of any particular means for this pur pose is considered unnecessary,

Coin-controlled means are provided for moving shaft 2| according to the value of the coins inserted, when any ejector is pulled outward, as will now be described. whenever any one of the ejectors is pulled outward. the shaft I9 is swung forward causing rotative movement of the ends thereof in their bearings. The right-hand end of shaft |9 extends through the side of the casing and an arm 28 is secured thereto, so that, when shaft i9 is swung forwardly arm 28 will be swung for- As previously stated,

wardly also. Arm 28 has a round lug 29 which is arranged to engage an inclined face 36' on a lever 30, mounted on a pivot 3|, so that as shaft I9 is pulled forward the rear end of lever 30 is swung inward, as shown in Fig. 5. A U-shaped arm 32 is pivoted at its ends 33, 34 on the casing and is normallyheld by spring 35 in engagement with the rear end of lever 30, so that, when lever 30 is swung inward by shaft 19, arm 32 will be swung inward also. A pair of actuating levers 36, 31 are mounted in slots formed in fixed lugs 38, 39 and 40, 4|, respectively, so that each lever has a limited lateral movement therein, and each lever has a'slot 42 in its rear end in which the arm 32 is located, as shown in Fig. 4, so that when arm 32 is forced inward the rear ends of levers 36, 31 will be moved in the same direction. A bracket H0, having abutments Ill, 2 thereon, is fixed on the frame, said abutments being arranged'to engage the rear ends 43, 44 of levers 36, 31, respectively, and hold them against rearward movement, when they are moved inward by arm 32, and the front ends of levers 36, 31 normally bear against the casing I4, as shown in Figs. 4, 9, 10 and 11.

A bevel gear 45 is mounted on the right-hand end of shaft 2| and a bell crank lever 46 is mounted on a pivot shaft 41, and one arm 48 of said lever has a gear segment 49 arranged in mesh with gear 45 and the other arm 50 has a spring 5| connecting the same to the frame (see Fig. 9), so that segment 49 is normally held in its initial position, in which position the shaft 2| is also held in initial position, so that the abutments 22 will also normally be held in an intercepting position. A transmitting lever 52 is pivotally mounted at its middle on arm 59 by means of pivot screw 53, and one end of lever 52 rests on the outer end of lever 36 and the opposite end of lever 52 rests on the outer end of lever 31. Said lever 52 has a curved slot 54, the center of curvature being at pivot 53 and a stop screw 55 extends through said slot and is secured in arm 5|).

As thus arranged, if the front end of lever 31 is forced outward from the casing, it will move the end of lever 52 which it engages in the same direction. The opposite end of lever 52 will bear against the outer end of lever 36, which in turn bears against the casing l4, so that the end of lever 52 which engages lever 36 becomes a ful crum and, as its middle portion engages arm 59 by means of its pivot 33, the arm 56 will be moved outward, causing downward movement of gear segment 49 and corresponding movement of shaft 2|, thereby lifting the abutments 22 thereon to an extent which may be sufiicient to permit operative movement of some one of the ejectors, assuming that an abutment is adjusted to permit such movement.

Assuming that the extent which lever 31 is moved outward is only half the extent possible, if it is' moved to its fullest extent the action of lever 52 will be correspondingly increased, thereby causing increased lifting action of the abutments.

In like manner if the front end of lever 36 is moved outward and the end of lever 31 is held stationary against the casing l4, the operation above described will simply be reversed. That is, the end of lever 52 which engages the end of lever 31 will become the fulcrum and the lifting action of the abutments will be the same as that already described. It will further be apparent that if both levers 36, 31 are moved outward the extent to which the arm 56 will be moved will be correspondingly increased. That is, lever 52 will be moved outward bodily and will either be tilted also, or if both levers 36, 31 are moved outward to their fullest extent, lever 52 will not lifted above intercepting position.

The machine is provided with a passage N for nickels and a passage D for dimes, and a coin support 56 is provided which is mounted on a pivot 51, the top end of which has a face 58, which is normally held at the bottom end of at the bottom end of the passage D, in position to support a dime therein, as-shown in Figs. 5

sage 6| at the opposite side thereof, the arrangement being such that when support 56 is swung inward from its normal position, so that passage 60 registers with the bottom end of pas. sages N and D, the coins which are supported. by faces 58 or 59 will be discharged into passage 60 and will be retained or discharged into the shoulder 64* engages arm63 and swings it downward and, as arm 64 is held against swinging coin support 68 which passes through an opening 69 in the casing into the dime a sa e D. in position to support a dime DX. as sh wn in Fi' s. 2 and 8. A projection 65' on a m 5 normally bears against the casing, see Fig. 8. A spring arm 10 is attached to support 56 and the end thereof passes through an opening 11 in the casing, so that, when support 56 is pushed inward,

the end of arm 10 engages the casing at 12, see Fig. 8, and acts to assist the return of support 56 tonormal position. A lever 13 is pivoted on screw 14 in a bracket 15 on the casing and one arm 16 thereof engages the outer side of coin support 56. The'other arm of lever 13 has a face 16', which is arranged to be engaged by the end of a lug 11 on arm 28, so thatwhen arm 28 is swung forward by shaft l9, when an ejecting operation is performed, support 56 will be into passage 66 and be retained.

An arm 18 is pivotally mounted on the casing at 19 and a coin return handle has a lug8l ward, support 56 will be swung outward, and any coins which are supported thereby will be returned through passage 6|. This movement will also carry lever 65 bodily outward so that its The machine will be supplied with a coin-dc tector, not shown, at the coin entrance and a wire is connected to arm 18 and to the returning means of the detector, so that coins or slugs retained by the detector will be returned when the coin return handle 80 is pushed inward.

sage D, indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 2. and will come to rest on the face 59, on the top end of support 56, in the position DY, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Lever 36 is provided with a transversely projecting finger and lever 31 with a similar finger 9|, said fingers being so ar anged that, when shaft 2| for the finger 90 will immediately engage the coin and will become a fulcrum for lever 36, so that the outer end of the latter will be swung outwardly from the full line to the dotted line position of Fig. 10, thereby tilting lever 52, which will then be fulcrumed at its bottom end on the end of lever 31, so that arm 50 of the bellcrank lever 46 will be moved outward to what may be considered as its second position, and the abutments 22 will be raised correspondingly, and operation of the ejector of a compartment containing 10 articles will be permitted.

If a second dime has been inserted, finger 9I on lever 31 will engage it, and, in like manner, will become a fulcrum f-or lever 31, so that the outer end of lever 31 will be moved outward when arm 32 is operated, as indicated in Fig. 11. As a result lever 52 thereby moving arm 50 to its extreme position, so that the abutments 22 will be raised to their fullest extent and to what may be considered as their fourth position, in which position any one of the ejectors may be operated.

As indicated in Fig. '7, the first nickel which has been inserted will rest on the face 58 of support 56 and the second, third, and fourth nickels which are inserted will rest one on the edge of the other in order. The lever 31 has an auxiliary lever 92 mounted on a pivot 93 at the middle thereof, lever 92 extending through an aperture in lever 31 at right angles thereto. Cylindrically shaped fingers 94, 95 are reciprocally mounted in apertures formed in the casing and are loosely engaged by the ends of lever 92 which extend into slots formed in said fingers. As shown in Fig. '7, the apertures in which fingers 94, 95 are mounted open into the nickel passage in such a osition that finger 94 will engage the first nickel which has been inserted and finger 95 the second nickel.

Lever 36 is likewise provided with an auxiliary lever 96, which is pivoted at 91 at the middle thereof and has its ends loosely engaged with fingers 98 and 99, which are reciprocally mounted in the casing in apertures which open into the nickel passage in position to engage the third and fourth nickels which are inserted.

A bracket I is mounted on the casing and has four projecting abutments IOI, I02, I03, I04 which are. arranged to engage the outer ends of the fingers 94, 95, 98, 99 respectively, so that the latter will always be normally held in the same relative positions in which levers 92, 96 will be held at right angles to levers 31, 36.

The action of the auxiliary levers and fingers engaged thereby is similar to that described in connection with the dimes. If a single nickel has been inserted, it will be engaged by the finger 94, and, when lever 31 is actuated by arm 32, the lever 92 will be tilted slightly, as the finger 95 will merely engage the inner side of the coin passage, as shown in Fig. 12, but as the end of the lever engaged by finger 94 will be held against inward movement by the coin, it will become a fulcrum for lever 31, so that the front end thereof will impart movement to lever 52 and in turn to arm 50, so that the abutments will be lifted by the distance which they can be lifted out of position this ejector may moved, and if one of them is to intercept one of the ejectors, be operated.

In like manner if a second nickel has been inserted the lever 92 will be held from tilting by the coin, as shown in Fig. 13, so that lever 31 willbe swung outward to its fullest extent and will be moved outward bodily,

' tween each operating shaft 2| will'be moved for V its distance, thereby releasing ejectors for operating compartments containing 10 articles, the result being the same as when a single dime has been inserted, except that it is secured through lever 31 instead of lever 36.

On the insertion of three nickels, a full movement of lever 31 will be secured and a partial movement of lever 36 will be secured, as indicated in Fig. 14. The same result will be secured on the insertion of a dime and a nickel except that a full movement of lever 36 and a partial movement of lever 31 will be secured.

In like manner if four nickels are inserted the result will be exactly the same, as when two dimes have been inserted. While the pivotal points of levers 36, 31 are not at precisely the same places when dimes are inserted as when nickels are inserted, they are the same for all practical purposes, as the effective action of the levers 36 or 31 on shaft 2I is the same.

It will thus be seen that any combination of dimes and nickels which are inserted will result in the release of an ejector of a compartment containing articles of a value corresponding to the total value of the coins inserted.

It will be noted that by adjusting the abutment which'controls the ejector of any compartment according to the price of the articles which are to be dispensed from the compartment, articles of any price from 5 to 20 may be dispensed from the compartments according to the requirements of the trade, and readjustments may be readily made at any time.

I claim:

1. In a coin controlled dispensing machine having a series of compartments for containing articles to be vended at different price values, a separate ejector for each compartment, each having operating means to move it from and to an initial position to perform a dispensing operation, an intercepting device disposed in the path of movement of each ejector as it moves from initial position to prevent operative movement thereof when no coin has been inserted, mechanism interposed between each operating means and said intercepting device for moving the latter to permit operation of a selected one of said ejectors on operative movement of its associated operating means, said mechanism in-,

cluding coin controlled means for varying the extent of motion of said intercepting device according to the value of the inserted coin or coins and permit ejecting action of a selected one of said ejectors for a compartment containing an article of corresponding value.

2. In a coin controlled dispensing machine having a series of compartments for containing articles to be vended at different price values, a separate ejector for each compartment, each having operating means to move it from and to an initial position to perform a dispensing operation, an intercepting device havingmeans for engaging each ejector to prevent operative movement thereof when no coin has been inserted, the engaging means for one of said ejectors being differently located with relation to its ejector than the engaging means of another ejector, so that partial movement of the intercepting device will permit operative movement of one ejector without permitting operative movement of another ejector, mechanism interposed bemeans and said intercepting device for moving the latter to permit operation of a selected one of said ejectors on operative movement of its associated operating means, said mechanism including coin controlled means for varying the extent of movement of said intercepting device according to the value of the inserted coin or coins and to permit operative action of a selected one of the ejectors for a compartment containing anarticle of corresponding value without permitting operative movement of another ejector.

3. In a dispensing machine having a plurality of compartments for containing articles to be corresponding to different price values, actuating means, coin controlled means including a plurality of levers adapted to be actuated by said actuating means and each arranged for operative association with coins of different value which control the extent of operative movement of each lever when actuated to said control device to move the latter.

4. In a coin controlled dispensing machine having a series of compartments for containing ejector for each comaccording to the value of the coin or coins which are inserted.

5. In a coin controlled dispensing machine having a series of compartments for containing articles to be vended, an ejector for each compartment movable from and to its normal position to perform an ejecting operation, an intercepting device normally disposed to prevent opthereto, means for changing the position of the fulcrum of said lever by the insertion of a second coin in position to be engaged thereby to impart a further movement of said intercepting device, whereby the extent of movement of said intercepting device may be varied according to the value of the coin or coins inserted.

6. In a coin controlled dispensing machine having a series of compartments for containing an arm engaged will be permitted coin.

arms, one of Wh1ch is engaged with said operating moved laterally by said operating means without transmitting effective movement to said intercepting device, an auxiliary lever pivotally mounted at the middle thereof on said actuating lever between the arms thereof, coin engaging means at each end of said auxiliary lever, means to limit the tilting movement of said auxiliary lever, means to position the first coin inserted for engagement by one of said coin engaging means and to position the second coin inserted for engagement by the other coin engaging means, whereby the first coin wil; hold one end of the auxiliary lever against movement and act as a fulcrum for said actuating lever, to permit the same to transmit limited movement to said intercepting device, while permitting some lateral movement thereof, and the second coin, in conjunction with, the first coin, will hold the auxiliary lever against tilting movement and will prevent lateral movement of the actuating lever and permit the same to transmit further movement to the intercepting device whereby operative movement of one selected ejector may be permitted on the insertion of one coin and of another ejector on the insertion of the second coin.

9. In a coin controlled dispensing machine having a series of compartments for containing articles to be vended, an ejector for each compartment movable from and to its normal position to perform an ejecting operation, an intercepting device normally disposed to prevent operative movement of all of said ejectors and movable to different positions to permit operative movement of a selected ejector, operating means for said ejectors and connections between the same and said intercepting device, said connections including a bellcrank lever having one arm engaged with said intercepting device, a pair of actuating levers arranged side by side adjacent each other, actuating means cooperating with said ejector operating means and engaging adjacent ends of said levers for moving the same simultaneously when any ejector is operated, a transmitting lever pivotally mounted at its middle on the other arm of said bellcrank lever and having its opposite ends respectively engaged by the other arms of said actuating levers, said actuating levers being loosely supported so that when no coins have been inserted they will be moved laterally by said actuating means without actuating said transmitting lever operatively, coin engaging means on said actuating levers arranged for engagement with different coins when inserted, to form fulcrums, therefor means to deliver the first coin inserted in position to be engaged by the coin engaging means of one of said levers and to deliver the second coin inserted in position to be engaged by that of the other of said levers, whereby when one of said levers engages a coin said transmitting lever will be moved to actuate said intercepting device to one position and when both of said levers engage coins, said transmitting lever will be moved to actuate said intercepting device to another position.

10. In a coin controlled dispensing machine having a series of compartments for containing articles to be vended, an ejector for each compartment movable from and to its normal position to perform an ejecting operation, an intercepting device normally disposed to prevent operative movement of all of said ejectors and movable to different positions to permit operative movement of a selected ejector, operating means for said ejectors and connections between the same and said intercepting device, said connections including a bellcrank lever having one arm engaged with said intercepting device, a pair of actuating levers arranged side by side adjacent each other and having actuating means cooperating with said ejector operating means and engaging adjacent ends of said levers for moving the same simultaneously when an ejector is operated, a transmitting lever pivotally mounted at its middle on the other arm of said bellcrank lever and having its opposite ends respectively engaged by the opposite ends of said actuating levers, said actuating levers being loosely supported so that when no coins have been inserted they will be moved laterally by said actuating means without actuating said transmitting lever operatively, coin engaging projections on said actuating levers arranged for engagement respectively with the first and second coin of the same denomination which are inserted, means to deliver the first coin inserted in position to be engaged by the coin engaging means of one of said levers and to deliver the second coin inserted in position to be engaged by that of the other of said levers, an auxiliary lever pivotally mounted at its middle portion on an intermediate portion of each of said actuating levers,each auxiliary lever having coin engaging means engaged with the ends thereof and arranged for engagement respectively, with four coins of a lower denomination when inserted, means to deliver the four coins of lower denomination when inserted in position to be engaged by the coin engaging means of said auxiliary levers respectively, whereby different combinations of coins may be inserted and will act as pivotal supports for said actuating levers, to permit actuation of said transmitting lever and corresponding actuating of said intercepting device according to the value of the coins inserted.

11. In a coin controlled dispensing machine having a series of compartments for containing articles to be vended, an ejector for each compartment, each ejector having operating means to move it from and to its normal position, to perform an ejecting operation, an intercepting device comprising a shaft having a series of abutments extending transversely therefrom into the path of movement of each ejector, respectively, whereby operative movement of each of said ejectors is normally prevented, said abutments being angularly displaced relatively about said shaft, whereby on partial rotation of said shaft one or more of said abutments may be moved out of intercepting position while others remain in intercepting position, connections between each ejector operating means and said shaft for causing partial" rotation of said shaft. said connections including an operating lever having one arm engaged with said shaft, a transmitting lever mounted at an intermediate point therein on the other arm of said operating lever, a pair of actuating levers arranged to engage at their adjacent ends the opposite ends of said transmitting lever, means for holding the engaging end portions of said actuating levers against movement in one direction, coin engaging means on intermediate portions of said actuating levers, means to deliver successive coins which are inserted in position to be successively engaged by the coin engaging means of said actuating levers, operating means for simultaneously engaging the opposite ends of said actuating levers, and cooperating with each of said ejector operating means to actuate the same when an ejector is operated whereby when no vended at different price values, a control device movable from one position to a plurality of other positions corresponding to different price values. means for moving said device, actuating mechanism, and means controlled by the coin or coins inserted for transmitting the movement of said -mechanism to said moving means in proportion to the value of the coin or coins inserted whereby said device is moved to one of said other po- 10 sitions corresponding to different price values.

FRANCIS C. DU GRENIER. 

